Gaijin
by amgehron
Summary: After inheriting her father's farm, April is shanghaied by a land baron. Shipwrecking off the coast of Okinawa, she joins a traveling circus as a red-haired Yuki-Onna. When a stop in Japan has her saving the life of a local lord, Oroku Saki, April is taken on as the horse trainer to help a certain turtle in red. Set in a world were creatures like Usagi and humans live together
1. Shanghied

April stepped out of the farmhouse into the blazing Texas sun. Three mybrids and one human male sat on horses in front of her, faces hidden by wide-brimmed hats and blue bandanas. Resting her army-surplus rifle on her shoulder, she stepped up to them, her blue eyes narrow.

"What are you boys doing around here? I thought I told your boss I'm not interested in selling." Pushing the brim of her hat back slightly, she looked from the human to the lizard, to the boar, and lastly, the coyote, the leader of the group, sizing them up.

"Señorita, Don Cervantes has given you a very generous offer, we are merely here to tell you that he is losing patience. You have until sundown tomorrow to sell, or else something bad will happen to you." The coyote's eagle feathers bobbed on his hat as he jerked his head. " _Vamanos, la cena esta lista_." He told his comrades, and turned his horse around, spurring it away, the other three following close behind.

April cursed as they left a trail of dust in their wake, and turned to survey the land the local land Baron was after. She had come there with her father as a child, losing her mother to cholera on the trail. It had been a wasteland when they had first arrived, but with lots of hard work her father had been able to turn it into a sprawling ranch that was famous in the Republic of Texas for the quality horses that it produced for the Rangers.

Being his only child, April had been raised to inherit the farm when the time came. She proved herself to have a natural talent with horses, picking up on her father's unconventional way of training with ease, and even improving it. While she could read and write, her mathematic skills were less than stellar, and they had been looking for a partner to cover the books of the ranch.

Her life had been going great when her father died suddenly in a flash flood. Now the land Baron Domingo Cervantes was after her land, believing that she was unfit as a woman to run it on her own. That was the fourth time that month he had sent his men to threaten her off her land, but nothing short of them dragging her dead body off of the property would get her off of the ranch her father worked so hard to flourish.

The Ocelot mybrid swirled his wine as he lounged in the red plush chair he had just had imported from France. Looking out of the window, Domingo Cervantes watched over his _rancho_ as it buzzed with activity. Everything he could see from the third story of his massive home belonged to him- well, almost everything.

Frowning at the small farmhouse in the distance, he heard a soft knock at the door.

"Come in." He commanded, and the door opened to reveal a small human woman in simple servant garb.

"I apologize, Don Cervantes, but Rocoso and his men have returned." She said quickly, her brunette head bobbing as she curtsied. "Shall I let them in?" Domingo waved a hand to her.

"Let them in. Hopefully they were more persuasive this time around." She curtsied again, and turned to let the hired _bandidos_ in.

The coyote entered first, followed by his men. Clutching their hats in their hands, they lined up before the powerful land baron, looking nervous. That was not a good sign in the Don's book.

"Well, were you successful in convincing her to sell?" He asked curtly, amber eyes flashing. The human, boar and lizard looked to their leader, who bared his teeth slightly.

"I'm sorry, Don Cervantes, but she still refuses to sell. I'm afraid we'll have to resort to more… _drastic_ options." Rocoso replied, a soft growl in his voice. Never had he met a female as stubborn as she was.

"Still? I have been more than generous in my offer for her land, yet she still refuses?" The ocelot snarled, smashing the wine glass against the table that sat next to his chair. "And she has the law on her side already, both the Mexican Army and these so-called 'Frontier Rangers'." He absently licked away the blood from a cut on his hand, staring at the house that marred his view in the distance.

"I do have a suggestion, Don Cervantes, if you are willing to listen." The boar, Manolo, spoke up. The lizard, Telmo, elbowed him in the ribs with a sharp hiss and the human, Josue, smacked him on the head, eyes dark.

"Don't you even think of it, Manolo, no one deserves that fate." Josue scolded him. Domingo held up his hand to silence the others.

"What is this that you are suggesting?" He asked, eyes meeting Manolo's. The boar twisted his hat in his hands and cleared his throat.

"I have friends- sailors- that are in need of entertainment while they travel to India. The woman would be welcomed on the ship, even if she is less than willing." A dark smile came to the tusked face. "They are willing to pay handsomely for them as well." An ear twitched as a frown marred the Don's handsome face.

"I will think about it." He said, turning to the group. "For now, go to the bunkhouse and get yourself some food and a bed." The bandidos turned to go, their boss calling after them "Do not forget to take care of your own horses! Do not leave them for my stable hands like you did last time, people might start to talk. "

" _Sí, patrón_." Rocoso replied, tipping his head to his boss before leaving the room.

"So what are you going to do about that stubborn she-devil next door?" A feminine voice asked, irritated. Domingo looked over to the female Ocelot, who was embroidering an alter cloth for the church. It was later that same day, and Domingo had just finished telling his wife about what had transpired earlier.

"Hush, Rosa, you should not say things like that." He scolded his wife.

"Have you ever seen her in church? I haven't, even at that horrid Baptist Church in the next town." Her green-gold eyes narrowed. "And it seems like she has not taken interest in any of the men around here." A low growl came from her as she undid a stitch and corrected a mistake. "If she got married, we could at least get her husband to sell in some way." Domingo sighed and poured the two of them some wine. Handing her a glass, he sat down in the chair across from her.

"I know _mi amor_ , but we cannot force her into marriage. I will have to take Manolo's suggestion into serious consideration." He took a sip of his wine and picked up the book he had been reading.

"Yes, but I can only image what would happen if Padre Tormenta found out that we sent her to that kind of fate." Rosa shuddered as she clipped the thread from the cloth and held it up to make sure no stitch was out of place. "We could be subject to _la ley fuga_ , or far worse- excommunicated." Satisfied with her work, she folded the cloth and added to the pile "Of course, if you have no ties with those men…she could just…disappear one day. Just leave her be for now, and in six months or so, she'll leave the farm one day and not come back, and you could be the good neighbor and take care of her farm. Then, when she is declared dead, you can offer to buy her farm from whoever she gives it to in her will." Domingo grinned at his wife, sharp teeth gleaming in the lamplight.

"I knew there was a reason I married you, and not just for your beautiful face." He said, laughing. "The next time I go into town, I will get you some nice silk and the latest fashion from France." She smiled back at him, standing up and turned off the lamp beside her chair.

"You might as well wait for that, _mi amor_. Soon you will have another son to help out with the ranch." Her husband's gold eye glimmered in the low lamp light.

"This is very good news, Jorge will be very happy to hear that he is to have a new brother." He said to her. Placing his book to the side and rising to pull her into a hug.

"Tomorrow, then you will talk to your…acquaintances, and inform them of the plan?" Rosa asked, turning off rest of the lamps, and leading her husband to bed.

"Yes, and we'll sort out the other details while we're at it. They will be paid handsomely for their silence on our part of this, and of course, we will donate a good sum to the church to help outweigh any of our guilt with in this matter." Domingo replied, as he double-checked the lamps. The female mybrid huffed.

"If anything the church should pay us, driving that godless heathen off of land that should belong to good, church-going people like us." She muttered, shutting the sitting room door behind her.

Nearly a year later found April smiling as the first of the foals that she had bred herself were born. The latest one had the most promise, coming out of her best stallion, and a great mare that had been retired to her farm after an illustrious career in the U.S. Calvary. His coat was beautiful gunmetal grey, and he already showed himself to be a lovely mover.

Stepping away from the field, she walked back to the barn and began to hitch up her wagon horses to take a trip to town, making sure her rifle was under the seat. It had been some time since Don Domingo's men had come around, but she knew that he wouldn't give up that easily. Not long after they had shown up, she went to visit a childhood friend, Casey Jones. He had joined the Frontier Rangers after his father had been killed at the Alamo and if something ever happened to her, he would be the one to look into it. She also left her farm to him in her will, under the stipulation that he was to never sell it, if he were to sell it, it would be donated to the Rangers as a training academy.

Starting down the road, she went over what she would need in her head, and sang an Army cadence as the horses trotted down the way.

 _And in her hair, she wore a yellow ribbon._

 _She wore in the spring time, in the merry month of May._

 _And if you asked her why the hell she wore it,_

 _She wore it for that soldier who was far, far away._

It was a beautiful day in May, pheasants darting on and off the path, a Red-Tailed hawk flying in the distance. April smiled and turned her head to the sun. Maybe the lemonade man would be out today. The last few months had been busy with both the foaling and calving, and she deserved a treat.

The peacefulness of the day was interrupted by a shot in the air. The horses were well trained enough to ignore the shots, and kept going until April urged them faster. Turning around, she saw Telmo and Rocoso coming up after her at a mad gallop, guns waving in the air. Swearing to herself, April pulled her rifle from under the seat, and tried to take aim at the bandidos chasing her.

Suddenly, the horses halted, throwing April forward, hitting her head on the foot board. Through blurry vision, she saw Manolo and Josue sitting in the middle of the road, their own weapons aimed at her. Rocoso moved his horse up beside the wagon, a dark smile on his face.

"We warned you that you would be punished for being so stubborn. We had to resort to desperate measures to make our Don happy." The coyote grinned, showing his sharp canines.

Soon she was tied up and tossed in the back of the wagon, Josue driving it and his horse tied to the back.

"What are you going to do to me?!" She demanded, blue eyes flashing with anger. Rocoso chuckled.

"You, my dear, are going to become very friendly with some sailors who need company on their long voyage to India." He told her. " _Ahora_ , _callase el hosico_ or we might have to break you in before we get there, and they won't be happy with you being damaged goods- and they'll take it out on you. _A calmarse niña_ , we have long trip to San Francisco."

The port town of San Francisco bustled with activity and the group made their way to the docks. Telmo's horse shied away from a wagon as it tore down the street, and April rolled her eyes as the lizard tried to settle the animal. She almost felt sorry for the Don to have these fools to rely on to do his dirty work. Finally he had the horse under control and they were back on their way.

Their first stop was at a dress stop, so they could get her some clothing to look like a 'proper' woman. Silk dresses and laced petticoats were piled up for purchase, along with fans and large-brimmed hats. She had to wonder what kind of ship she would be on to get the clothes they got her. As Rocoso paid for the items, and ordered the others to take the luggage it was packed in, she heard Telmo complain about how much was spent.

"Hush." Josue scolded the lizard. "She needs to make an impression on the Captain, he is very picky about who he chooses as a companion on his voyage. At least he provided us with the money to pay for her clothing, and we don't have to pay out of our own pockets."

After a stop at the saloon for lunch, they were off again, heading down to the docks. April could smell and hear the docks before she saw them. She had never seen a body of water bigger than a pond before, and some small part of her was excited to see it. She couldn't help her gawking as the Pacific ocean came into view, water stretching out as far as the eye could see, boats looking like they were about to fall off the face of the earth.

It wasn't long before they had come to a large ship, men of all shapes, sizes, and ethnicities loading barrels of furs for trading and supplies for the long trip. The four took the woman off of the wagon and lead her up the gangplank where a man in a vibrant purple jacket and an over-sized hat stood.

"Ah, Manolo, my old friend, is this the lovely young wench you told me about in your letters?" He asked in an exaggerated French accent. The air around him was thick with cologne, and April found it hard to breath around him.

"Yes, this is her." Manolo said, yanking April forward. "I would watch it, she gave us some trouble in the beginning." The Frenchman took a handkerchief from a sleeve, and dabbed it under his nose.

"I am sure we will be able to tame this little filly, _Mon ami_." The Frenchman assured the four. He called to a short, older man with thinning grey hair. "Monsieur O'Malley, will you please take our dear Avril to her room."

"Aye, sir, I'll take her right away." He took April by her bound hands and brought her below deck, stopping at a door next to what was a parlor or a drawing room. Mr. O'Malley cut her bonds and opened the door.

"You'll be staying here, Miss, I hope everything is to your liking. I'm going to get you some linens, please make yourself comfortable." April sighed as he closed the door behind him, and looked around what was going to be her living quarters for the next few months.

At least they gave her a small room, versus leaving her to stay with the sailors below the deck. There was an actual bed, and a small dresser beside it. A china bowl and pitcher sat on top of it, a pretty green pattern cover the pristine white surface.

A knock came to the door, and Mr. O'Malley came into the room, carrying the clean bed linen, set them on the bed, and then turned to her.

"I must apologize for what you are going through, ma'am, if it was up to me, I wouldn't allow this, but our Captain has a different view." He told her, grey eyes sad. "All I can really say is not to let them get into your head." His eyes looked straight into hers. "I will try to help you out though. Keep your head low, and do what they tell you, and I will get you off this ship. We're at sea now, but we have a stop in China, so I'm going to try to get you off there, and get you a ship back to the states, okay?" April gave the man a questioning look.

"Why are you helping me?" She asked him, wary. He turned his head away for a moment, and then looked back.

"I have a daughter who is not much older than you. She lives alone at home, taking care of her invalid brother. I fear that the same fate could befall her if something was to happen to my son." He replied. They were interrupted by Captain De Guignes walking in, ostrich feathers bobbing on his hat.

"Ah, Monsieur O'Malley, I 'ope you are not getting too friendly with our guest." He said grandly, his eyes roaming April's form.

"No, Captain, I was just making sure she was settled into her quarters." O'Malley replied. He left the room with haste, leaving them alone. The Captain turned by his American captive, he pale blue eyes looking down at her bosom.

"Now my dear Avril, let us go to my cabin and get more... acquainted." He said, his voice felt slimy on her skin, and April had to repress a shudder that ran through her. Remembering the first mate's words, she steeled herself and gave the French bastard a smile she had seen the girls in the 'boarder house' give the cowboys who came through town. She was not going to give this horrid man the pleasure of breaking her.

"That sounds wonderful Sir." She told him, trying to look a little coy. The young woman then followed him out of her room, her head held high.


	2. Shipwrecked

I kinda took some liberties here. I wanted to write a historical fiction as much as possible, and didn't think that the turtle's original names fit, so I changed them up. If anyone knows anything about Japanese history, some might sound familiar. At least for a little bit. It will be explained later in the story.

Musashi- Leo

Kotaro- Raph

Hideyoshi- Donnie

Goemon- Mikey

April quickly adapted to ship life. Her job ended up being a 'companion' for strictly the Captain, and off limits to the rest of the crew. While the Frenchman would not have been her first choice of lovers, he was gentle with her, and never forced himself on her. Mr. O'Malley took on a father-figure role, protecting her from the rest of the crew, even after the death of Captain De Guignes. The good Captain had accidently shot himself not long after they had left the port. One night the Captain had taken her up to look at the stars, drunk like he normally was, and had decided to impress her with his shooting skills. When the round misfired, he looked into the barrel, only to have the round go off- and straight through his eye. April would have been charged for murdering him, if the cabin boy and the navigator hadn't stepped up to say they had seen what had happen.

There had been talks about throwing her overboard, with that old superstition that women on ships were bad luck, but Mr. O'Malley pulled his seniority on the crew and stopped them. After that, she joined the crew in helping around the ship. She wasn't that great of a cook, but there were many other places she helped out in. Then as things went on, they began to teach her navigation and steering the ship, among other things. April was happy on the ship, enjoying the company of the men who had come to accept her and her presence on the ship.

Then the storm came.

A crack of thunder jerked April awake. The ship rocked back and forth violently, and a flash of lightning flashed in the window, blinding her temporarily. Getting out of bed, she stumbled to the dresser, and pulled out a pair of pants and a blouse she had gotten from one of the crew and grabbed her hat, which she had managed to save, and dressed quickly. Leaving her room, April heard the yells of the sailors as they worked to keep the ship on course. Taking the steps up to the deck two at a time, April burst onto the deck into the raging storm. She tore across the surface, rain stinging her skin, as she raced to Mr. O'Malley.

"What needs to be done?" She asked, tightening the tie to keep her hat on her head in the gale winds. The older man looked at her, and shook his head.

"I think we got it here- you could go down and check the supplies below-"  
He was cut off by a cry from one of the other crew members. A rigging had gotten loose, and was swinging towards the two. April made a split- second decision, and pushed the man who had two children waiting for him to come home out of the path. She let out a soft cry as the mast hit her, knocking into her. Next thing she knew, the rigging was dragging her through the air, and even as she tried to cling to the wood, it was too wet to get any kind of grip on it, and she felt herself slipping, falling through the air. She hit the water hard, and was half-conscious when she returned to the surface.

Fighting the wild waters, she thanked anyone and everyone she could think of that an old ranch hand had insisted she learn how to swim. Peddling her legs to keep afloat, she watched the ship get farther and farther away. Damnit, she'd never get back on it now. Closing her eyes, April took a few calming breaths, when she saw something bobbing on a wave a few feet away. It was a row boat that had come unattached from the ship. Swimming towards it, April battled the waves and finally reached the boat. Dragging herself onto it, April collapsed onto the bottom and blacked out.

When April came to, she heard the cries of what sounded like seagulls. Blinking in the bright sun, she discovered she was no longer moving. She sat up, looking around at her surroundings. Sand stretched as far as she could see to the left of her, and a large rocky cliff was to her right. Then she heard voices behind her. Turning around quickly to the source, she found a group of people and mybrids staring at her some feet away. They all sat around a campfire with some sort of animal roasting on a stick, and she vaguely remembered seeing people that looked like them in San Francisco and on the boat. One of them stood up and walked towards her. April kept her eyes on him, ready to run if she needed to.

"It's okay, we will not harm you." He said. Confusion came to April's face.

"How do you know English?" She asked. The man didn't look like a sailor. He was dressed in brightly colored silks, embroidered with patterns she had never seen before.

"Oh, I have picked it up from many places. I would believe that you were sold on to a ship for nefarious purposes?" He turned to gesture to the group behind him. "I have two other young women in my group who are in the same situation." A blonde cat mybrid and a woman who looked to be Cherokee sat among them, and both waved to her. "Come and join us, you must be starving." April got out of the boat and followed the odd-looking man to the fire. She could smell roasting meat and it made her stomach growl loudly as she moved to it.

"You must be from America." The Native American said, standing up to great her. "My name is Nita. You can sit here between me and Sharleen- Lee, for short." She led April to her seat, passing the cat.

"Whoa." April muttered before she could stop herself. The mybrid was sitting and she could look straight April's eyes. April blushed and tipped her hat to her. "I'm sorry about that ma'am, my father always told me I had a bad habit of speaking before thinking." Lee laughed it off.

"It's no problem there, miss." She replied. "I've 'ad worse than that." April took a seat on the log between them, and looked up at her. "Let me introduce ya to our little group. You already been introduced to me and Nita. Nita does trick riding and well, you can tell my attraction." She said laughing. "The man who greeted you when you woke up is Dong. He's in charge of us, and handles the finances and tour stops and whatnot." She pointed to two monkey mybrids who sat close to each other on the side of the fire. "Those two are Jian and Jing, our acrobats. They're from China, like Dong is, you know where that is, right?"

"Yeah, my Dad used to show me maps in his books, it is west of here, right?" April asked. Sharleen nodded and continued on, pointing to a man who had a white cloth wrapped around his head.

"Then we have our sword swallower, Shankara. We picked him up from India the same time I joined. Then we have Agung, a dwarf that lived on an island south of here." She pointed from a man who was shorter than some children April had seen in town, to a woman who held a large orange and black striped cat on her lap. "That is Kira, our animal trainer. She's from Russia. Dong found her wrestling bears in northern China and asked her to join up."

"Who's that?" April asked, pointing to a large man with dark hair and eyes who had been staring at her since she had gotten there. Sharleen smiled.

"That, my lucky girl, is Ryouichi, our strong man. I've had my eye on him since I got here, but he's never been interested in me." She gave an exaggerated sigh. "That's okay, though, Kira keeps me busy enough." She finished with a large grin.

"How did you get here?" April asked. The leader had said that they had been taken like she had. Sharleen was the one who started.

"I was born to a whore that worked the lower docks of London. Me Mum died when I was ten, but the Lady of the house me Mum worked at allowed me to stay on as a scullery maid until I was old enough to work the floor of the bar." She started. "I was always a big child, but as I got older, it was obvious that I was taller than other women, and soon taller than any man I met. I was a great attraction at the house, but not for any of the tricks that the other women used. I had men pay to spend the night with me just to pet my legs all night. The others didn't like my popularity, so one night they took me out to 'go dress shopping' and left me with a group of men who tossed me on a ship to India. Once I had gotten there, they tossed me out for the next one they had waiting. Dong found me as they were taking me off the boat, and offered to take me off their hands. I've worked for him since." Lee finished up, and indicated Nita to tell her story.

"My story isn't much different the Lee's." Nita began. "The only difference is that I was kidnapped from my tribe and spent several months at a Spanish mission before they tossed me on the ship." Both women then looked to April. "What's your story?"

April told them about her father's death, the land baron, and the banditos. Then she went on about the French captain, Mr. O'Malley, and finally, the storm that brought her there. When she was finished, Sharleen whistled softly.

"That sounds like something you'd read in a book." She said, her eyes wide. Then the three were interrupted by Dong and Ryouichi.

"My apologies for interrupting, ladies, but we must get down to discussing this young lady's future." He said, motioning to April. "Now, we won't be going back to India for some months, but you are welcome to join our little group until then."

"What am I going to do? My only skill is just like Nita's." She replied. Dong just laughed.

"Our next stop is the island of Japan. You have such pale skin, Ryo here suggested advertising you as the legendary 'Red-haired Yuki-Onna'."

"Yuki-Onna?" April asked, looking at them.

"She's a snow maiden, in her basic form. She is said to lure travelers astray from the road during snow storms with her beauty." Dong replied, and April felt her face heat up. No one had ever insinuated she was beautiful before. De Guines said she was tolerable, but that was it. Thinking on it, she decided that if it was going to be a few months for her to get home, might as well have some fun.

"Sure, I'll do it." She said, and Dong's face lit up.

"Good, good, now let's get you some food and we'll get you a costume in the morning." The leader said, clapping his hands.

So April settled in to the groups as the fabled 'Yuki Onna.'. It was a fairly easy job, just sitting around, looking mystical. Days and evenings consisted of shows, her sometimes joining the others for their acts. Nights the group was left to themselves, and she found herself spending time with Ryouichi to learn Japanese. Being so immersed in the language, she picked it up quickly, and enjoyed spending time with him, telling him about her home and hearing about his.

As the group traveled, the two became closer, and tension began to build between them. She knew he wanted her, he had the same look in his eyes as the captain had when he looked at her, but he never tried to act on it. April, on her part, was too shy to try anything, more used to being chased than chasing. Then one day, after assisting him in his show, Ryouichi leaned in to her ear as the crowd clapped and whispered _Come to my tent later, I can't take this anymore,_ and it made April's heart pound in want. After that night, they shared the same tent.

They traveled around the southern coast of Japan for several months, until they came to the city of Kyoto. Dong made a big deal about this show, because they were going to perform in front of a very important lord that night. The show went off without a hitch, and April was socializing with the people there when a cry went up.

"Runaway horse!" April whipped around to see a red stallion galloping madly towards a man who seemed to have not heard it. Acting quickly, she ran to the man, and pushed him out of the way in the nick of time. Rolling to get back on her feet, she turned to animal. As it spun around and ran past her again, she reached up and grabbed the animal's mane, using it to launch herself onto it. Picking up the reins, she yanked the animal's head to the side, forcing it to turn in a circle, kicking it to keep moving. After a few turns, he began to settle down, and April walked it up the man who had nearly been run over.

"Are you okay, my lord?" She asked, bowing at him from atop the horse, in case he decided to bolt again. The lord had similar facial features to Ryouichi, but older, and a burn scar mottled the right side of his face.

"I am." He replied, looking over her. "May I ask how you learned to do that?"

"My father, my lord. He owned a horse ranch and I was-" She was interrupted by a group of turtle mybrids running up to them.

"My lord, are you okay?" Asked one who was dressed in blue. Behind him stood one in red, purple, and orange. The lord nodded to the mybrids.

"Yes, I am fine, thanks to this young woman." He turned to the one in red. "Kotaro, what I have I told you about controlling your horse? This is not the first time he has run wild like that." Kotaro hung his head.

"My apologies, my lord, there must be a mare in heat around here." He replied. April couldn't help but give a snort from her perch on his horse.

"Mare in heat my ass. If there one thing I hate, its excuses for shoddy training, and that's what's wrong with this animal." She snapped back. Kotaro looked like he was about to attack her when the older man held up a hand to stop him.

"As I was saying before we were interrupted, who are you, were are you from and how did you learn this?" He asked again. April dismounted the horse, and bowed low. "My name is April, my lord. My father owned a ranch in America and I was raised to train horses. After his death, a land baron wanted my land, so he sold me to a ship. I fell overboard and met this circus. I have been traveling them for several months." The lord looked confused.

"April?" He asked, looking at the mybrid in purple.

"April, ah, Shi-Gatsu, my lord." He replied, bowing low. The older man nodded.

"Shi-Gatsu, I want you to go look at the other horses and tell me what you think of them." He said in a tone that was not to be ignored. "I am going to go talk to the leader of the circus." He turned to the four. "Take her to the horses, make sure no one touched her." He ordered, and turned to were Dong watched the conversation with a pale face.

Mildly irritated that the man, lord or no lord, had just changed her name, she turned to follow the four. They escorted April to where the other horses were tied up and the red turtle took the reins from April's hand and tied up his horse. That was the first problem.

"This is how you were taught to tie up horses?" She asked them, and shook her head. Undoing the red stallion's she re-tied the rains so they could be released quickly, but the animal couldn't escape. Then Dong came up with the lord.

"Shi-Gatsu, you now belong to Lord Saki." He said sharply. "Go get your things, and don't try running, you won't get far." April stared at him, stunned. _Trapped again, sonofabitch._ She thought as she went to her tent. Tossing her things in a bag, be ignored the stares of the people she thought to be her friends, and walked back to the group waiting.

"I have my things Lord Saki." She said, bowing low. She guessed she should be happy that she could get her things, versus being swept away.

"Good, good." He said. "We've long needed a trainer that could actually train a horse." He pointed to the mybrids. "The one whose horse nearly killed me is Kotaro, the one in blue is Musashi, Hideyoshi is the one in purple, and the one in orange is Goemon." Named of the turtles, pointing to them as he listed them off. "You will help them specifically. They are skilled fighters, but their riding is left to be desired." He whipped around to her. "And you better be telling the truth of you training skills, or else." He threatened. He turned to his own horse, a large, black stallion. "You will ride with me. We are not far from my compound, so you shouldn't be too uncomfortable."

The others got on their respective animals as Lord Saki pulled April up behind him, and spurred it on. As she looked back to the fading tents, she wonder how on earth her life could get any crazier than it was. She was starting to regret her wish for a more adventurous life when she was younger.


	3. First Day

Yes, I know it's been a long time, I've been busy in RL, but I should be on a roll again, at least until the holidays. Enjoy.

It was a short ride to the Lord Saki's estate, but it was still dark by the time they arrived. Mybrids of all types rushed around as they rode through the gates, all stopping to bow as the group passed by. April looked around, amazed at the massive greeting area, with its graveled walking paths, huge shade trees, and small ponds that looked to be filled with large, multi-colored fish. The buildings were all one story, with something like a porch wrapping around them. Walls were made up of squares of paper, much like the simpler homesteads near her home. Colored lanterns hung from the porch rafters and along the path, lighting the path with their pale, multi-hued glow.

Woman and female Mybrids both walked around in colorful dresses with delicate embroidery stitched on them, in designs of birds, flowers, fish and creatures she had never seen before. While the mybrids came in wide variety, the human women looked more or less the same: tall and pale, with ebony hair and dark eyes. They all openly stared at her, and April knew me must look as strange to them as they did to her. She had just enough time to change back into her normal clothing before she left, her tan breeches and dark blue blouse she had since she had been kidnapped, all a little worse for wear, but still in decent condition. Her bright red hair and pale blue eyes she knew from experience were something most people of this land had seen little of, unless they dealt with the few foreigners that were allowed there.

They rounded the corner of one building and April had to gasp at the massiveness of the stable. It was single story, like the rest of the buildings, but it wasn't raised off the ground. Right outside were several circular rings, and large fields could be seen in the distance. April could see a herd of mares and foals grazing in the dimming light, and she wondered about her babies back home. They would almost be yearlings by now. She hoped Casey was taking care of them.

Lord Saki dismounted from his horse, and lifted her to the ground as the three mybrids handed their horses to the stable hands that had come out of the building upon their arrival. An older human male came to take his horse and the Lord gestured to April.

"This might be our new trainer, if she passes the test tomorrow. She speaks Japanese better some these fools that you have hired. Find her a place to sleep for the night, and make sure none of the boys try to have any fun with her. If I hear that someone even _tried_ to harm her, I will have both his and your heads, do you understand?" His dark eyes bore into the other man's, making it clear that it was not just a threat, but a promise.

"Yes, Oroku-sama." The older man said, bowing low. He turned to April. "Please, follow me." He turned back to the stables, motioning for April to follow him. "You'll have to stay in the feed room until we get a separate room set up for you. I wouldn't trust some of these men with the daughter of my worst enemy."

"It's no problem sir, I'll sleep where ever." She replied as she followed him through the stables, looking at the various horses who had finished up their evening meal. Soon the stopped at the room that held the grain and hay for the horses.

"Stay here, I'll bring you some blankets and maybe scrounge up something for you to eat." The man told her, then disappeared. Several minutes later he returned with a grilled fish on a stick, and a large horse blanket.

"This is all I could gather, I apologize." He handed her the fish and placed the blanket on a pile of hay beside April. He studied her as she ate the fish without complaint, and when she was finished and had given the bones to the barn cats, he struck up a conversation.

"What brings a _gaijin_ like you to Nippon?" He asked. April sighed, running her fingers through her hair.

"It's a long story." She admitted, but at the man's encouragement, she told him of her farm back home, the people who ran her off of it. He seemed most interested in her time at sea, and the sailors she lived with for several months. She felt a pang of sadness as she went into her time with the traveling circus. She wondered how everyone was taking her absence. They were probably already heading to their next destination, preparing for their next show, trying to fill the gap she left.

"Such an adventurous life, and at a young age." He said when she had finished. "How old are you?"

"I'll be twenty in the fall." She answered, as she began to braid her hair for be. The older man grinned.

"You're the same age as the young masters." He informed her as she pulled a worn yukata from her bag. "I will tell you the story of this place tomorrow evening, as it is getting late and we will be up early in the morning so I can show you how we operate the stables." He turned to leave her, stopping at the door to give a polite bow that she returned.

"Oh, wait," She called out before he shut the door. "I haven't asked you your name. They have given me the name Shi-Gatsu."

"I am Kenshin." The older man said as he began to shut the door. "Oyasumi nasai, Shi-Gatsu." When she heard his footsteps fade, April stripped herself and dressed for bed. Some part of her was happy she was working with horses again, and had a chance to prove herself, another was irritated that Dong would go back on his word for any amount of gold.

She settled down into the pile of hay, pulling the blanket over her. The scent of horse was soothing to her, and she soon found herself fast asleep.

When Kenshin came for her the next morning, a small bowl of rice in his hands, she was up and dressed. She ate as she followed him around, making notes at the different horses that had any special needs, knowing that it's take a week or two to get everything down pact.

"Your main charges are this way." Kenshin said as they went to a different part of the stables. The area clearly housed the horses trained for combat, big, heavy brutes breed for a combination of strength and speed. A familiar red head stuck out his head, snapping at Kenshin as he walked by the stall.

"Well, if it isn't the red demon." She muttered as she walked up to him. "I wonder if your master is as foul-tempered as you." She went to scratch him behind the ears, but he pinned his ears and jerked his head up away from her.

"Korato-sama can have quite the temper on him, and I am afraid it has rubbed off onto the animal." Kenshin admitted, turning to the stallion. "This is Takehiko." He turned away from the animal and continued his way down the row, stopping in front of the stall of a dark bay. "This is Goemon-sama's horse, Haru. I must warn you, he has this animal spoiled rotten, and he's always looking for food."

"A trait of the Lord?" April asked softly as the animal nudged her for a treat. Kenshin nodded as another chestnut, this one more brown in color with a wide white blaze down its face stuck out his head to see what was going on.

"Daichi is Hideyoshi-sama's horse, he's well-mannered enough, but is prone to being flighty." April nodded, and followed him to the next one, a steel grey who stood, ears perked forward, staring out into the yard. "This is Musashi-sama's horse, Isamu. He's the best-behaved of the bunch." A snort came from the last stall, and Lord Saki's horse stuck his head to see the visitors, hay falling from his mouth.

"I'm sure you know who Akio belongs to. You won't have to worry about him too much, Saki-sama takes care of him entirely." She nodded and continued to listen as he showed her the pastures outside, talking to her about the small breeding program they had running.

When the sun had come up past the tree line, a stable boy, a small dog mybrid, came running up.

"Oroku-sama is requiring you presence in the main ring." He panted, long tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.

"Thank you Kenji." Kenshin told the young mybrid. "You may return to your duties if that is all." The boy bowed once, and took off back to the stables. He turned to April. "Follow me, quickly." He took off at a slow run towards the main house, April close behind.

When they arrived at the stables, they found a large group of people waiting there to watch, Lord Saki and the turtles closest to the fence. Some of the Ladies had spread out blankets under the trees, and where conversing with each other as they worked on their embroidery. Men looked to be gambling on how she would do, making small groups much like the gossiping women.

A loud cry from the ring pulled April attention from her audience. Inside, a snowy white mare, smaller than the horses in her care, ran around the small ring, looking to get out. Blue eyes were wide, showing the whites, and she was already soaked in sweat. Lord Oroku greeted her as she approached.

"Shi-Gatsu, you are finally here." He motioned to the mare. "This will be your test. If you can get on her and ride without any issues within a week's time, she is yours and you will begin your work with the others. If not- well, we always have room for new 'companions', if you know what I mean." April flinched internally, but bowed low.

"Yes, Oroku-sama." She said, glancing over at the mare. She had worse before, but never had to work an animal in front of people.

"Is there anything you need before you start?" Asked a cat mybrid that stood beside the gate. "A priest maybe?" April narrowed her eyes.

"A rope, about ten feet in length." She snapped. "And a bridle and saddle." He snorted, but ran off to get the requested items as she studied the mare. It was easy to tell she was just spoiled, and handled badly as a foal. It was an easy job, all-in-all. It wasn't long before the cat came back, and handed her what she needed.

She slipped into the gate, and placed the bridle and saddle on the ground. The mare froze and looked at her, ready to run. Moving to the center of the ring, April tossed the rope in the direction of the mare, sending her running. She could hear the muttering of the crowd, but placed her focus on the horse in front of her, tossing the rope again. She continued the action, calling out to the mare in a soft, even tone. About five minutes in, she got the first signal, an ear turning to her. A few more rounds had the mare chewing at the air, and after about fifteen minutes, her head dropped to the ground.

Dropping the rope, April turned from the mare, and moved slowly away. Soon she felt the animal nudge her shoulder, and April turned to her and gently rubbed her nose.

"Good girl." She murmured, reaching up to scratch her ear. Moving slowly, she reached for the padding, rubbing it on the animal's coat, getting her used to the feeling of it. When it was on, April took the bridle, and repeated the process, and soon placing it on the horse's face.

Last was the saddle. Picking it up, she allowed the mare to sniff and nibble at it. After deciding it wasn't food, she turned away from it. April eased it onto her back, stopping when the mare turned suddenly to see what she was doing. With the horse looking fairly bored with it on her back, April moved to the other side, and took the girth, attached to the right side, and moved back to the left, tightening it on the other side. The mare pinned her ears slightly, but otherwise stayed still.

April stepped from the horse's side, and took the reins, leading the horse around the ring three times before stopping. The crowd had gone silent, all of them staring at her as she prepared herself to get into the saddle. Looking over to where Lord Saki and the mybrids stood, they all watched her intently, waiting for her next move.

Placing the reins over the horse's back, April got one foot in the stirrup, she put her weight into it, only to have the animal bolt from under her. Ignoring the gasps from the one watching, she picked up the rope and began the process over again, and when the mare followed her around the ring like a puppy, she tried again. This time the mare stood still, and allowed April to lower herself into the saddle.

Squeezing her legs until the mare went forward, she walked the mare around the ring three more times, then brought her to a halt. Dismounting, April lead the mare over to where Lord Saki and the others stood.

"I believe that enough for her today, Oroku-sama." She said formally, bowing low. The older man nodded, and reached out to pet the mare. She stood still and allowed him and the four mybrids to touch her.

"That was still quite impressive, I must admit." Lord Oroku replied. "I have never seen something like that before. Is it something used often in the New World?"

"My Father taught it to me, Oroku-sama. I do not know where he learned it from. He never told me." April said, lowering her eyes. "He passed before I had a chance to ask." He nodded.

"I am sorry for your loss. Now, we must go and negotiate the terms of you working here." He turned, motioning for the cat mybrid to step forward, but April spoke up before he could move.

"You would please, Lord Saki, I much prefer taking care of her myself, I believe it was mistreatment that is the cause of her behavior." Dark eyes went to the cat briefly, but nodded.

"You may. When you are done, have Kenshin bring you up to the main house." He turned to the four standing quietly beside him. "You will join me, discuss anything that you may specific help with to her." He turned and left, parting the crowd of men a women gathering to get a better look at April, some exchanging money with soft curses and laughter. A rabbit mybrid, dressed in the manner of a Samurai, came up to her.

"Very impressive, miss." He said with a small bow. "Perhaps you can assist me when you have the time? My mare is a good horse, but she still spooks at fire, and I would like to work on that."

"I would be honored," April paused, not knowing how to refer to him. The rabbit seemed to catch on to it, and smiled.

"I am Miyamoto Usagi. My family has worked as Samurai for the Ha-" He cut himself off short. "The Oroku clan for many generations." April bowed to the rabbit, tucking the slip up in the back of her head to ask about later.

"I would be honored, Miyamoto-san." She said politely. "If you come to find me after I am done with the young Lords, I would be happy to help you." With another polite bow to him, she excused herself, and settled the mare into the stall.

Taking a few moments to dust herself off, she found Kenshin at the entrance to the stables, and he rushed into the west end of the main house. A small female mouse mybrid opened the door as they approached and ushered them in.

Lord Saki knelt in front a table, where two sheets of parchment sat. He motioned for them to sit down in front, and waited until they had settled.

"I had Hideyoshi write up the contract in English if it was needed, if you would look over it, we can sort out any possible issues that might arise." April looked over the documents, comparing the two. While it wasn't perfect, she could read enough to figure out what that contract was saying and make sure she wasn't being conned.

They were the same, right down to the last detail. Other than being given ownership of the mare, she would have her own room near the Lord's horses, and a small weekly salary. Festivals were rest days, as where Sundays for worship if she chose to. Her duties were primarily to the Lords, helping them with the issues their horses had, and caring for them. She had access to any stable hand that she wanted to assist her when needed. If anything came up, she would travel with them and every summer she would travel with them around their land to inspect how the local magistrates were running the villages. At the end, it stated that she would have a chance to resign the contract after five years, look for other employment, or save her money for a ticket home.

"Do you find the terms agreeable?" Questioned the man in front of her. April picked up the brush that sat in front of her, but froze when the tall turtle in purple, Hideyoshi, stood up and knelt beside her.

"I'm sure you do not know how you write you name, allow me to show you." He explained gently, and demonstrated the brush strokes, then made April copy them before allowing her to sign the contract. When the ink dried, Lord Saki stood up and clapped his hands together once.

"Good. You can start with Kotaro this afternoon." He instructed, and he turned to leave the room. "I will have maids set up your room while you're working." April looked over to the turtle in red, who looked less than pleased that a human woman was helping him.

Oh, this was going to be so much fun.


	4. Lesson Number One

April stood at the gate of the round pen, watching the massive turtle mybrid storm towards her, gold eyes narrow. Behind her Takehiko paced nervously, tossing his red mane and pawing at the ground. It didn't take a genius to tell that the animal disliked his owner.

Kotaro stopped in front of April, glaring at her. He took a moment to look around, then finally spoke.

"Why isn't he ready?" He growled at her, trying to be threating. Her lips pursed. That behavior might work on others, but she wasn't about to let him walk all over her.

"You're not riding him until I say so." She informed him, turning on her heel and opening the gate. "Follow me." She could _feel_ him tense with rage.

"And who are you to order me around _Gaijin_?" He snarled. April felt her own temper flare at the clear insult. Did he really need to remind her that she didn't belong here? That she should be back on her ranch, tending to her own foals? Shutting her eyes, and taking a deep breath, she turned back to him.

"If you have an issue with me, I suggest you talk to your father about it." She stated, then turned back to the pen.

"He's not my-" Kotaro cut himself off suddenly, and was silent. April turned to him, waiting for him to finish, but instead he roughly pushed past her into the round pen. He stood in the center, arms crossed. "This where I need to stand?" He asked curtly.

"That's perfect." She picked up the rope from earlier and moved to stand next to him. "Now watch what I do." April instructed him, and when his gold eyes turned to her, she began to gently swing the rope in a circle. Kotaro remained silent, focused on the woman and his horse.

Takehiko had stopped to watch what was happening, ear up and alert, ready to run again at a moment's notice. Eyes focused on him, April tossed the rope out, and the horse bolted from her. She continued the pattern, sometimes switching up the direction of the horse. Her body was soft and relaxed, and her voice was calm and gentle. Soon his horse began to show similar movements the mare had earlier that morning. When Takehiko dropped his head, sniffing at the ground, making small circles around them. April stopped him, and slowly approached the stallion. She reached out to him, and he automatically nuzzled her hand. Dropping it, she turned around, and walked away. Takehiko followed like a dog, pressing against her shoulder.

Kotaro was stunned. The stallion barely _tolerated_ him, and the animal was all lovey-dovey on the human female. Shi-Gatsu turned to him, holding out the rope.

"Now it's your turn." She said, heading out of the ring. "I'll tell you what do to from out there. If you run into any trouble I'll jump in." With that she left him alone with Takehiko, who had started to run around the pen again, ears pinned back.

"Okay, now I need you to get him moving by throwing the rope at him." He heard Shi-Gatsu call from the fence. "Don't try to hit him and remain relaxed. He can sense your emotions and it reflects in how he acts." The stubborn part of him told him to tell her where to shove the advice, but as he saw his horse stop to get another pet from her, he held his tongue. As strange as her methods might be, they seemed to works quite well.

Closing his eyes and focusing internally, the words of someone from long ago came to him, the gravelly voice soft but firm.

" _Focus, my son. An animal can feel you emotions and reflects it back on you. She is agitated because you are." A blurry figure stood above a younger Kotaro, who had been yelling at the pony that had just dumped him._

" _She just went crazy out of nowhere!" Kotaro cried, flinging his arms around. The figure looked thoughtful._

" _Perhaps there is a reason for this?" He suggested. "Deeps breaths, and we will investigate this." The smaller turtle closed his eyes, obeying the voice. "Very good. Now come, it is almost time for dinner anyway."_

Kotaro opened his eyes, and focused on the red animal in front of him. Following her example, he swung the rope around before tossing it at Takehiko's back legs. He snorted and began to run around the pen.

"Very good, have him run around it four or five times, then switch directions." Shi-Gatsu called out to him. Kotaro gave her a nod in acknowledgement, and followed what she said. It took some going back and forth, but Takehiko's inner ear twitched to him. Something jump inside of him, but Kotaro kept his excitement down, and continued what he was doing. When the horse finally dropped his head, Shi-Gatsu called out to him.

"Okay, now gather up the rope and turn away from him." Kotaro could feel the horse staring at him as he turned away, pulling the loose rope back into the loop. "And walk way slowly." She continued the instruction. He began to move slowly, and he had to keep still as he heard the slow and steady hoof steps follow him as he walked around the pen. "Turn around and reward him." Shi-Gatsu called out as she stood poised to come back over the fence.

Kotaro turned around and rubbed Takehiko's forehead. The animal nuzzled his plastron, and the turtle had to grin. His horse had never shown any affection to him before, and now is seemed like he had made a breakthrough. His smile stayed in place as Shi-Gatsu walked up to him, and he felt a strange feeling in his chest as she gave him a real smile, not the fake one she had given his father.

"That was great, Kotaro-sama." She said, as she reached out to scratch the horse behind the ears. "I think that is a great place to end things, on a good note." She took the rope from Kotaro and tied it around Takehiko. The turtle followed her as she led the horse back into the stables and tied him to a pole. Gathering up some brushes, she brought them back, pausing after she put them down.

"Perhaps it would be best for you to brush him down, to help with the bond." She said, a slight hesitation in her voice. Kotaro nodded, the voice from long ago coming back.

 _A warrior must know how to care for those under his care. Whether protecting those under his employment or brushing his horse, he must be ready for peace as well as war._

The turtle picked up the brush and began the familiar process of moving it over the horse's body. It was calming in itself, and while Shi-Gatsu made herself busy by checking on the other horses, he fell back into the rhythm of the chore. When he was finished and had habitually put the brushes away, Shi-Gatsu handed him a carrot.

"He's been very good today, I think he deserves a treat." She said as he took it. Takehiko's ears perked back up when Kotaro snapped it in half, and allowed his horse to pick it up from his flat palm. Then he put the horse away, Takehiko going to his hay with a content sigh.

"I think that was quite successful for a first lesson." Shi-Gatsu said as he hung up the rope to close off the stall. "I think we'll do one more session like that, then we'll get you in the saddle." \

Normally Kotaro would turn on her for even suggesting that, but as he saw the animal he had been at odds with since it was given to him stick his head out and nicker at Kotaro as the turtle walked away, he decided against it.

"When will we do this again?" He asked as she followed him to the exit. She paused at the doorway. Looking up at the sun, that was still high in the sky despite it nearing the evening meal,

"Tomorrow after dinner." She said. "I need to look over the rest of Oroku-sama's herd and training regiment, and spend some time working with Hideyoshi-sama in the afternoon." An odd flare burned into Kotaro's chest, but he shook it away. He nodded before stepping away from her.

"I'll be here. Make sure you are not late." He stated firmly before walking back to the main building. He paused before stepping inside, turning back to the stable. Shi-Gatsu was helping the rest of the stable hands bring in the horses, fighting a young stallion who didn't want to leave the fresh pasture. Her face was focused on the animal as it dug it's hooves into the ground. She pulled him one way, then the next, throwing him off-balance and forcing him to follow. Another stable hand yelled something to her and she laughed, tossing her head back.

For a moment he was struck dumb. He swore he could see she blue eyes flashing with warmth, like they did when he connected with Takehiko. Clear laughter rang out across the yard, and her hair glistened in the sun, unlike any color he had seen before, even when he gone to Dejima with his brother and Oroku-sama a year ago to conduct trading. In the shadow it was a dark brown color, much like Goemon's horse, but in the sun it exploded in color, browns and reds intermingling. A flashing image of him running his hands through the gleaming strands stopped Kotaro short, shaking his head to clear the imaged.

"She's a horse-girl, and a _gaijin_ at that." He scolded himself. There was plenty of women specifically for pleasure purposes in Oroku-sama's household, good local women at that. He turned back to the house, gold eyes narrow as he went to wash for dinner.

* * *

April sat in barn, another meal of fish and rice in her hands, this time accompanied by vegetables. Kenshin sat with her, Kenji passed out at his feet.

"So what happened around here?" She asked as she chewed on a carrot. Kenshin paused, his dark eyes flashed in panic, before he shoved some rice into his mouth.

"What do you mean?" He asked, panic in is voice. "Nothing has happened around here." April gave him a skeptical look.

"Sure." She replied, blue eyes focused on the older man. "Today Kotaro-sama nearly denied being Oroku-sama's son, and everywhere I look, it seems like the Oroku symbol is covering another one." She popped a piece of fish into her mouth. Kenshin sighed heavily.

"Many years ago this Provence was ruled by a rat mybrid by the name of Hamato Yoshi. He never had any children of his own, but he adopted four young turtle mybrids who were orphaned by a band of marauding thieves."

"The young lords." April said quietly. Kenshin nodded and continued his story.

"He did not know the names of them, and they were too young to remember them, so he named them after famous painters that he admired from the west. The eldest was Leonardo, who you know as Musashi. Kotaro was named Raphael, Hideyoshi was Donatello and Goemon was Michelangelo. He was a very good father, and raised the boys to work together to rule the Provence." Kenshin paused, his dark eyes misty at the memory.

"And then Oroku-sama came." April said softly. Kenshin nodded.

"The young lords were about nine at the time. He struck in the black of night, when almost everyone was sleeping. Hamato-sama tried to defend the compound, but ultimately fell. The last we saw him, Oroku-sama's goons were dragging him off into the woods."

"That's horrible." The woman said softly. To lose your father and everything known to you overnight? It had hurt her enough when that happened to her as a grown woman, but for that to happen to children who hadn't even reached their tenth birthday? No wonder Kotaro was the way he was.

"After Oroku-sama took over, the first thing he did was to change the boy's names to 'proper names befitting a Japanese warrior.'" Kenshin continued. "All traces of Hamato-sama were destroyed and it is even forbidden to speak his name in the presence of ether Oroku-sama or the young lords."

"Why did Oroku-sama take over?" April asked, scraping the last of her rice from the bowl.

"Hamato-sama wanted to keep open trade with the westerners. Oroku-sama wants to close our boarders, keep our way of life 'pure' so to say. He is worried that the revolutions that happened in France and your homeland will happen here, and the people would over throw the Shogunate." The older man explained. "The lord dislikes foreigners." April's faced crinkled in confusion.

"But why did he take me on?" She questioned. Kenshin shrugged.

"You are a woman. He sees you as no threat." Kenshin gathered up his bowl. "Your skill with the horses is also quite remarkable. He expected you to fail the test, and as much as he hates foreigners, he loves their women in his bed. Now if will excuse me, there is much to be done in preparation for tomorrow. I suggest you get some sleep." He took April's own bowl and left, taking a lantern with him.

April shuddered, a disgusted look on her face. Good thing she did well indeed. As much as she had to admit that Oroku Saki was a handsome man for his age, she had little desire to be forced to share another bed with a man. One was enough.

Stepping outside, April took a deep breath of air, and looked up at the stars. She wished it was winter so she could see the comforting sight of Orion above her. Instead, she found Pegasus, the winged horse. Shutting her eyes, she made a foolish wish that it would come to life and take her home.

"I miss you father." She whispered to the night breeze. "This is must of what it felt like, to move out west all those years ago. To be in a strange land, with strange people." She shut her eyes as a stronger gust whipped her hair around her. "But I will be strong. I will do what I can to get home, and if I can't, I will build a new life here. Maybe one day I will no longer have to work for this man, to be on my own." She opened her eyes again and nodded to the pattern of stars in the night sky. "But I will be strong. Just like you taught me to. I will survive and flourish in the land, that I can promise you."

April turned back to the stable to check on her wards on last time before bed. She gave the lord's horses a scratch each before she made her way into her room, which had been set up simply. A straw mat on the floor with a quilt, a small wooden dresser with a pitcher and bowl set on it, and a low stool, but that was all that she needed really. April yawned and set the lantern on the dresser, and changed quickly before blowing it out. Shutting her eyes, she fell asleep, her dreams taking her far away, back home to her ranch.

* * *

 _Kotaro found her in the stables, brushing Takehiko down after his daily ride. She heard him approach and turned around. It was a hot night, and in the privacy of that area of the stables she had stripped herself of her haori, leaving her only in her hakama and bindings. Her hair tumbled down her back, gleaming in the light of the lanterns._

" _Is there something I can help you with, Kotaro-sama?" She asked, blue eyes meeting his without a tremble of fear. He licked his lips, fingers flexing. He looked over her body, lean and muscular, unlike any of the women that frequented his father's house. She turned back to the horse, continuing her work. After a brief moment of hesitation, Kotaro moved behind her, pressing himself up close to her._

 _He pulled the brush away from her, causing her to turn back to him. She met his eyes again, curiosity lighting up her eyes._

" _Kotaro-sa-" He pressed a finger against her mouth, stopping her from finishing the title._

" _Don't." He whispered softly, running his fingers through her hair. He watched as the fire in it lit up in the flickering light, and she gasped softly at his attentions. She turned her head up to his, her cheeks flushed._

 _He stroked the sides of her cheeks as her eyes slide shut, she breathing turning harsh. Kotaro leaned in, and his lips pressed to hers. She returned it eagerly, almost demandingly._

 _Next thing he knew, she was beneath him in her bed, her hair spread out wildly as she whined and moaned beneath him. He leaned down and nipped at her ear as he thrust into her. She gasped softly, nails digging into his shoulders._

" _Ra-" They jumped as someone banged on her door. Kotaro ignored it as he continued pushing himself against her, her moaning getting louder and higher-pitched. He was so close, just a little more-_

"Kotaro!" He jerked awake at the sound of his older brother's voice.

"What!?" He yelled, partially irritated that the dream had been interrupted, partially shocked at who it involved. His tail was stiff and full from the dream, something that had not happened since he had started visiting the pleasure women that resided in the household.

"It is time for training!" Called back an irritated Musashi. "You will be late, and I will not cover for you this time!" Kotaro heard his brother's footsteps fade away as he tossed on his training _gi_. It was spar day, and it was his favorite time of the week. If he were to be late he could be stuck sparing Goemon- or worse Hideyoshi.


	5. Hat

Kotaro stretched as he walked out of the bathhouse. He had made to training in time and had a good time wiping the floor with Musashi.

The sun was starting to show over the roof of the western building, and the compound was buzzing with activity. He turned when a familiar form caught his eye, and he turned to see Hideyoshi walking towards the stables, looking nervous. Turning to where his younger brother was moving to, he noticed Shi-Gatsu standing in the ring, holding one of the older horses that they used for the children. Curious, he followed, resting against the fencing. He had nothing to do until later in the morning, so there was time to watch.

Shi-Gatsu greeted Hideyoshi politely before looking over at Kotaro.

"Are you okay with your brother watching, Hideyoshi-sama?" She asked, looking over at the tall mybrid. Hideyoshi turned his green eyes, magnified by the pieces of glass he needed to see, towards his older brother. Kotaro shrugged. It wasn't his choice on whether or not Hideyoshi wanted him to stick around.

"It's okay with me." He replied, turning back to the human woman. "Can I request you speak to me in English, though? It has been some time since I have been able to practice it." Shi-Gatsu's eyes lit up as she smiled, replying in English. He understood what they were saying well enough, but he had always had trouble speaking it.

Kotaro frowned as something unfamiliar twisted in his gut. His younger brother seemed at ease with the woman, much more so than any of the females that lived on the estate. Kotaro doubted Hideyoshi had ever even seen a female nude. The two continued their conversation in Shi-Gatsu's native tongue, until something burst.

"Hideyoshi, you know Oroku-Sama would not be happy if he heard you speaking to the _gaijin_ in a lesser language." He snapped at his brother. Hideyoshi flinched, looking towards the ground at Kotaro's chastenment. Shi-Gatsu, however, met his eyes without flinching. There was irritation on her face, and some small part of him _enjoyed_ that. Enjoyed that she wasn't going to be cowed by him like the other females he had encountered, their eyes on the ground and voices barely audible when they spoke with him.

"If it would please you, Kotaro-sama, I would like to instruct Hideyoshi-sama alone." She said firmly. Kotaro's eyes swept over the animal she was holding. It was one of the older horses, meant for plowing more than riding.

"Oh?" He asked, glaring at her. She just glared right back. "Then why do you have this sad creature out instead of Daichi?" Hideyoshi looked like he was about to speak up when Shi-Gatsu did.

"Daichi looks lame in his left front. I believe it's a stone bruise, but I'm going to look at it better when I am done with this lesson." She stated simply and motioned to the half sleep horse beside her. "Your brother admitted himself he is not confident on a horse, so putting him on an animal whose only motivation is his next meal would be best."

Kotaro snorted, glaring at the younger turtle. That was certainly true. His brother was no horseman, no warrior, for that matter. If had been up to Hideyoshi, he would have studied under Dr. Honeycutt in town to become a doctor. Lord Saki was having none of that, as it was rumored the doctor got his name from a Dutch father, and forced the quiet intellect into the same training as his brothers.

"It's okay if he watches." Hideyoshi spoke up. He took the reins from Shi-Gatsu and mounted the animal, giving him a solid kick to get it plodding around the ring. The horsewoman nodded to a willow tree right outside the ring.

"If you would Kotaro-sama, please stand over there so I can focus on Hideyoshi-sama." She requested, though the sternness in her eyes said that it wasn't one. The turtle was tempted to tell her off and refuse to leave, but decided against it. As small as she was, he had no clue what kind of training she had, and she could very well put him on his shell if she wanted to. He went to the tree, grumbling, and rested his shell against the trunk, watching them.

Shi-Gatsu stood at the center of the ring, focused on his younger brother. The younger turtle was tense and nervous, and it showed in his body language. Kotaro had to hand it to the woman, if it had been any other horse than this one, the animal would have probably tossed Hideyoshi by now.

Instead, the animal kept stopping when his brother did not want him to stop, and if he kicked too hard, it would go off at a trot that was surprisingly quick for something that looked like it had two speeds: stopped and snail paced. This caused his brother to panic and yank on the reins, causing the horse to stop suddenly. Kotaro bit back a groan and pressed a hand to his face. He had been a better horseman at the age of six than Hideyoshi was now.

He watched Shi-Gatsu walk up to his brother, and after a brief conversation, adjust his hands and legs. She moved back, and Hideyoshi gave just a light kick to the animal and had it plodding off again. After a little bit, she called for him to move faster, and Hideyoshi moved into a trot. He went around the ring a few times, and like the day before, she called the lesson to a stop at a high point, but did not look pleased when he dismounted.

"He's going to take some time." She muttered as she walked past Kotaro. "Did something happen to him when he was younger?" Kotaro snorted.

"Got bucked off a few times, but not too much more than me." He replied. Shi-Gatsu watched as the younger turtle mybrid tug on the reins of the horse, who had stopped for a quick snack as he left the ring, a stable hand running up to receive the animal. She whistled sharply to the boy, shaking her head. The boy backed off, going back into the stable as she walked up to his brother.

"You must be in control, Hideyoshi-sama. The horse does not tell you what he's going to do, you tell him." She said sternly, taking the reins from him. She made a sharp noise, cause the animal to lift its head to look at her. Grabbing the reins right below the chin, she motioned for Hideyoshi to come closer. "Hold him right here and fold the rest into your other hand." She instructed. Hideyoshi mimicked her motions, and again an odd flare rose in Kotaro's chest as Shi-Gatsu touched his brother's hand, adjusting it to the correct spot. "There. Just remember how your hands are, and always place them at the same place when leading your horse, okay?" Hideyoshi smiled as he studied the placement of his hands, and Kotaro growled softly as he began to move back to the house.

He needed to get away from his brother, who was smiling like an idiot at the _gaijin_. Some hours in the dojo would get rid of the way she smiled at Hideyoshi, the same way she had smiled at him the night before. It was an odd, possessive feeling, like that smile was supposed to be _his_ and _his_ alone.

"Kotaro-sama!" He froze when her voice called out to him.

"What?!" He snapped, gold eyes narrow. Hideyoshi flinched at his tone, but Shi-Gatsu acted like she didn't even notice it.

"You are still coming tonight, yes?" She asked, motioning for his younger brother to head back to the stables.

"Of course I am." Came the curt reply. "You had better be ready for me." The human just smiled.

"Of course Kotaro-sama, I met you here." She waved back to the ring they had been in the day before. Kotaro shook his head.

"I will meet you at the stables. I want to make sure you are taking care of my horse correctly." Shi-Gatsu gave him a bow just low enough to be respectful.

"Of course, Kotaro-sama." And with that she turned and followed his brother into the stables, giving the young Lord a view of her retreating backside, moving with the long, masculine strides she took. Curiosity of how it would feel bare beneath his hands over took him, and Kotaro felt his body flush. Turning from his original destination, he moved to the bathhouse, again. Some cold water would be best for him, then off to train some more.

* * *

"What the hell happened to you?" Was the first thing from Kotaro's mouth when he came into the stable later that day.

"I beg your pardon, Kotaro-sama?" Shi-Gatsu looked up from looking at Daichi's hoof. Her forehead, nose, and cheeks were a brilliant red, certainly not like anything Kotaro had ever seen.

"Your face!" He answered, frowning. "You look as if the daughter of one of the concubines applied color to your face!" The human placed the hoof back on the ground, turning even redder (Kotaro didn't even think that was possible at the moment).

"I burn easily." She huffed, putting Daichi back into his stall and brining out Takehiko. "I had a hat, but one of the other stable hands took it while I was cleaning stalls this morning. I have no clue what happened to it." She stroked the animal's nose as her eyes went wet. "It was the last thing my father gave me before the flood." She closed her eyes and shook her head, and turned her focus to Kotaro. "I was thinking that if the ground work goes well, we could take him out on a small walk through the pastures. Nothing major, just to see how you ride." Kotaro just snorted.

"Fine." He rumbled in a low voice, frowning when he saw her redden again out of the corner of his eye. It was different from embarrassment though, could that have been a flicker of attraction in her eyes? The large mybrid just shook his head and took Takehiko while Shi-Gatsu followed with Yuki.

A mere fifteen minutes later they were mounted and meandering through the pastures, no real destination in mind. They had been travelling in silence when Kotaro turned to see Shi-Gatsu looking eastward.

"You said your father gave you the hat. Is he also the one who taught you to work with horses?" He asked as a rabbit leapt from some bushes and crossed in front of them. Takehiko snort and tossed his head, dancing sideways a bit. "Still needs some work." He grumbled as he pulled the horse back to Shi-Gatsu.

"It will be at least a month before most of the issues are worked out." The woman agreed. "Takehiko is very well-mannered once you get his respect." She gave an exasperated sigh. "Daichi will be the biggest issue with his spooking. Marumaru needs to learn to stop eating while someone is in the saddle." Kotaro growled.

"And let me guess- Isamu is perfect?" He asked, darkness in his voice. He had wanted the steely-grey stallion, but his older brother had first choice, as he did in everything since Oroku-sama had come into their lives. Shi-Gatsu surprised him by shaking her head in the negative.

"Isamu…" She trailed off, as if unsure how to put his issue in words. "He doesn't seem to know how to, well, _horse_." She must have seen the confused look on Kotaro's face, as she pressed on. "When you let him out into the field, he just grazes and looks as if he's on guard. He doesn't run around the pasture, doesn't roll, nothing. He doesn't even try to show off for the mares." Kotaro snickered.

"Sounds like his owner." He muttered, and smiled when he heard Shi-Gatsu giggle.

"Maybe we need to get Isamu some companionship." She suggested causally. "That might loosen him up." The large mybrid beside snorted.

"Not sure about that. Musashi regularly frequents the ladies of the house and they have yet to find the stick up his ass." The laughter of the both of them filled the air, and the rest of the ride passed with the two passing jokes and telling stories of the various mishaps involving the bedroom, to include on where Shi-Gatsu, at the tender age of eight, walked in on a farmhand and a local girl and told them they were doing it 'wrong', that they needed to study the way the horses did it to get it right.

By the time they had settled down, the sun was setting in the west.

"We should be getting back now." Shi-Gatsu said, turning Yuki back to the stables, the animal tossing her head and prancing as if ready for her dinner. When Takehiko did the same, she turned and caught Kotaro's eye, grinning.

"Want to race back?" She challenged. "The grass is still dry and the footing is good." She tossed her hair behind her head. "But if you don't want to…" Kotaro bristled. Did she just insinuate that he was scared of a little race?

"Fine." He replied, then pointed to a post with a red lantern tied to it. "That'll be the finish line." Shi-Gatsu nodded in agreement.

"On the count of three, okay?" She looked to Kotaro, who agreed. "One…two… THREE!" She cried out, and the two let their horses run. Soon Kotaro knew nothing but his own breathing, the snorting of the horses and pounding of hooves combined with the blur of the scenery.

About halfway to the finish line, Kotaro turned to see Shi-Gatsu neck-and-neck with him. Blue eyes caught his own, and she laughed as she gave Yuki her head, allowing the white mare to bolt past the mybrid and his own horse, crossing the finish line a full length ahead of him.

For some odd reason he couldn't find his voice as he walked Takehiko to the stables. Shi-Gatsu didn't seem to notice and went on about what their next lesson would be, though Kotaro didn't really hear it. He was too focused on the way her hair (that had come out of its tie) framed her face, the fiery light that burned in her eyes, the fullness of her lips. He wondered how she would react if he…

"Kotaro-sama?" She asked, face full of concern. Kotaro shook his head. He hadn't even realized that they were both now in the stables, brushing down the horses.

"What?" He asked sharply. Shi-Gatsu frowned more.

"I was asking that since today went so well, we can have the next lesson the day after tomorrow. I plan on working with Marumaru and Isamu, and then Oroku-Sama wishes to talk to me about training someone to help me with the work."

"Fine." Kotaro grumbled, mildly disappointed at the idea of not seeing her the next day. He put Takehiko back into his stall, checking the hay and water before leaving. He stopped in the yard, confusion conflicting him. Why was he feeling this way? She was attractive, for being a human and a _Gaijin_ , but not normally one of his tastes. He remembered the hurt in her eyes when she talked about someone taking her hat.

Turning around, Kotaro watched her walk up towards the fields to help bring the horses in, then he turned and went back into the stables. It shouldn't take too long to find who had taken the hat.

* * *

"So why are we here again?" Hideyoshi asked as he followed his older brother into the nearby village the next morning.

"I told you, Yuudai took the hat the Shi-Gatsu arrived here with, and sold it to a store owner to pay back a gambling debt that she had no part of, now she has turned a vibrant red color." The elder turtle snapped, irritation on his face. It had taken him some time the night before to find the fool and shake him down for the information. "Oroku-sama does not allow theft among those who work for him." An odd look came across Hideyoshi's face.

"Oroku-sama does not care about the squabbles among the help." He pointed out. "However, Father-" Kotaro swung around, clasping his hand around his brother's mouth.

"You know not to speak about him!" The elder hissed. "Oroku-sama has eyes and ears everywhere! He will not be pleased if he hears that you were talking about-" Kotaro paused, swallowing hard. " _Him._ " The younger mybrid just looked at him with curiosity and backed down.

The rest of the trip was taken in silence, and the brothers soon arrived at the shop Yuudai had said he had taken the hat to. A small bell rung as the brothers came into the store, and a rotund tanuki mybrid came in from the back.

"My Lords! To what do we owe your noble presence?" He voice oozed with flattery. Kotaro could see his brother roll his eyes at the shop owner's action, and he had to suppress a grin and turned to his 'business mode' face.

"Yesterday afternoon one of our stable hands brought in a hat that belongs to our new horse trainer, taken without her permission. We came to retrieve it." Kotaro stated firmly motioning to the said object that sat on a tall shelf behind the counter.

"Ah yes, the crown of the Red-Haired Yuki-Onna of the West!" The shop keeper flung his arms to the said item. "The man who sold it to me said it would bring great wealth to the store, as she did to the circus that she travelled with!" He looked around, unnecessarily, as to insure no one else was around. "Is it true that her breasts are so large that she has to hunch over to walk? Or her appetite in bed is so great she beds with the entire household staff, including the women at least once, if not twice a night?" Kotaro was stunned for a moment. She had not been here for a week and already these rumors were spreading about her? He was about to speak when Hideyoshi stepped forward.

"Neither of those rumors are true, and even if they were, it would be none of your business." He said sharply. "Now, we have come to retrieve her hat. You will give it to us, or we will notify Oroku-sama that you are buying stolen goods." Kotaro turned to his younger brother, taking in the stance, far more aggressive than he had ever seen him, and narrow green eyes. What the shop keeper had just said seemed to greatly upset the mybrid in purple.

The tanuki fell silent for a moment before bowing low and taking the hat from the shelf.

"Of course, Hideyoshi-sama, here is her hat. I apologize for even bringing up such foolish rumors." He stammered. "I will not speak of them to anyone else."

"See to it that you don't." Kotaro informed the shopkeeper and taking the hat from him. The two then turned from the overweight mybrid and left the shop.

When they returned to the estate, Shi-Gatsu was finishing up what looked like a somewhat successful lesson with Goemon, it being a surprise to the two middle mybrids. He rarely ever took a lesson seriously, and it was hard to keep his attention for more than a few minutes. The look on the youngest's face when they came up to the fence said it all though.

"You think if Oroku-sama padded his chest like that, Goemon would pay attention more?" Hideyoshi joked as their younger brother took his horse inside. Kotaro shuddered at the thought of that, then waved over the human woman before she disappeared into the stable.

"Can I help you Kotaro-sama, Hideyoshi-sama?" She asked, bowing to the both of them. Hideyoshi turned red and held the hat out to her.

"I…we…hat…shopkeeper..." He stammered, eyes going to the ground. Shi-Gatsu looked at the hat for a moment, as if she was not sure it was real. Then she emitted a soft sound, flinging her arms around Hideyoshi.

"You found it!" She cried, clinging to him tightly. "Thank you so much!" She turned and did the same thing to Kotaro, who was so shocked that he didn't even fight it. She pulled back and placed it onto her head. Kotaro was surprised that he felt slightly disappointed when she pulled away. She gave them both another low bow. "I apologize my lords, but I must go ensure Goemon-sama does not try to sneak Marumaru any more treats." The two nodded and Hideyoshi managed to mumble "Go ahead" before she took off.

"What have we gotten ourselves into?" Hideyoshi muttered as she disappeared into the stables. Kotaro just shook his head and walked back to the house for lunch.

"Your guess is as good as mine." He replied, smiling as he heard the human reprimand their youngest brother for feeding his horse something he shouldn't have. "But things are going to be much more interesting around here, I know that."


	6. Horse Sale

Shi-Gatsu leaned over sheets of paper, eyes discerning the different handwriting as she poured over pedigrees of the various animals in the compound. She pulled some out, putting them to the side.

"We need to add some new blood to the stock." She commented to Hideyoshi, who nodded, writing things down. "This one, though." She tapped on the paperwork of a stallion. "He needs to be cut. That temperament of his needs to end with him. Thankfully he's not yet old enough to breed. Who was his sire?"

"Doesn't matter much, he's deadead." Hideyoshi said. "Saki-Sama tried to breed him with Yuki, and she kicked him square in the head." Shi-Gatsu knew it was wrong, but she laughed.

"Good riddance." She said, nodding. "I also think we should thin out some of the herd we have. They all have impressive bloodlines, and should be able to get a good sum for them. We should get some better horses for the wagons. The buffalo are great for the field, but are too slow. If the wagons were attacked, they would be decimated."

Shi-Gatsu continued on, talking mainly to herself, while Hideyoshi watched her, writing down notes. She would be an interesting person, even if she was not a Gaijin. She tucked a piece of her dark red hair behind her ear, eyes quiet and focused.

"There you are. What are you doing?" Hideyoshi turned to see Kotaro in the doorway. Shi-Gatsu smiled at him when she looked up. "Just going through the horses we have. Seeing what we can get rid of, what we need, that kind of thing." She gave him a wicked grin. "Maybe get Isamu a girlfriend." Hideyoshi had to keep his jaw from dropping when Kotaro laughed at her comment.

The older Mybrid walked up to them. "You might want to get rid of this guy." He said, pulling a chart from the 'Keep' pile. Shi-Gatsu took it, looking over.

"Why him? He has good lines and a good temperament." Kotaro laughed.

"Yes, but he doesn't like mares for some reason." Shi-Gatsu gave him an amused look.

"Okay, so wegeld him." She said, grinning.

"So this is what you've been doing Kotaro? Gossiping with the women?" The three turned, Shi-Gatsu pressing herself forward into a bow as Musashi appeared in the doorway.

"I was helping the horse trainer go over the animals." Hideyoshi replied, eyes matching his brothers. "Saki-samaasked her to look over the lines to see what we need to look for when we go to the sale next month. Unfortunately, some of our predecessors could have taken a few more calligraphy courses, and she requested my help to read through them. Saki-sama approved of it." Musashi snorted.

"So you have an excuse _;_ what about you?" The eldest turned to Kotaro. The mybrid in red shrugged.

"I came to tell her that I'll be a little late tonight. Goemon wants me to help him with something." He explained as the woman nodded.

"It will have to wait until after the animals are in, some of the men are ill."

"You _will_ do it when he says he wants to do it!" Musashi snarled at her. Shi-Gatsu bowed her head.

"Yes, Musashi-sama." She said, as Kotaro stood.

"When she is done bringing in the animals is fine by me. It will be cooler anyway." He said, looking at his older brother _,_ he then turned to Shi-Gatsu. "I will see you then." He said. April bowed to them both as they left the room.

"He was not always like that." Hideyoshi said softly. The human beside him straightened herself.

"Kotaro-sama?" She asked, confusion on her face. The tall mybrid shook his head.

"Musashi. He was going to be a great leader under the guidance of our first father, but quickly took to Oroku's cruel ways when he took power." Hideyoshi sighed. "But we should get back to work."

To be truthful, Hideyoshi was curious about how Kotaro was acting around the Gaijin. He didn't think it was a bad thing that they were on friendly terms, but it surprised him that they were. Kotaro was not one to make friends easily, nor wanting to make any.

Later that evening Hideyoshi followed Kotaro to the stables, staying some ways behind so as to not catch his brother's attention. Peering into the area that held their horses, he watched as Takehiko stuck his head out of the stall and nickered to the larger mybrid.

Kotaro smiled and rubbed the horse's muzzle.

"Hard to believe that's the same animal." Shi-Gatsu smiled as she walked in. "Are you ready for the lesson?" Kotaro nodded, and gabbed the rope, pulling Takehiko out to the ring.

Hideyoshi walked back, making a detour through the garden. It was hard to believe that his older brother was so friendly with the trainer. He was not one to willing converse with those that would be considered his equals, let alone the ones that were considered 'help'. He never even called on the women in the compound, preferring to go out to the local brothels.

Later that evening, Hideyoshi sat with Oroku-sama, going over the piles of horse papers. He turned when he heard a soft chuckle from the lord.

"She is quite fascinating." He hummed. "I am very impressed with her work so far." Hideyoshi nodded, having to agree.

"She has done wonders, my lord." He said, double-checking a few of the sheets with their list. "Yesterday during my ride through the farmlands to do my checks, Daichi was not even fazed by the many things that would normally set him off. Takehiko is much more well-behaved now as well." The older man nodded.

"She has gotten Musashi out his habit of spoiling his horse." The lord added. "She has been a good addition to the staff." He finished his stack and stood. "You and Kotaro will be in charge of watching over her while we are at the sale. While I do not fear her leaving, but I do fear someone else trying to take her." Hideyoshi nodded.

"Yes my Lord." He bowed his head.

"You are dismissed." Hideyoshi bowed, and left to prepare.

Three weeks later had Shi-Gatsu riding around the herd they were taking down to the sale. So far the journey had been a quiet one, though only trouble-wise.

Musashi scowled as his younger brothers laughed at something the horse girl said. In his opinion they were way to close to her, but Saki-sama had ordered him not to interfere, so the eldest held his tongue.

He turned around as Kotaro went into a long story about Musashi trying to sneak a brothel woman into the compound, claiming she that was a wonderful cook. The horse woman laughed as Hideyoshi joined in, telling her how he had almost died from food poisoning the woman gave him.

"I can cook a little, nothing compared to what Nanako and the others can make." She shrugged. Hideyoshi snorted.

"Explains why you were a twig when you got here." He teased her as Kotaro slapped her on the back.

"Were being the key word here." He grinned as the horse woman stuck her tongue out at him.

Musashi snarled softly as kicked his horse forward to the front of the line to his father.

"Are we sure we should be allowing them to be-" He frowned, looking for a word. "Fraternizing with the hired help?" The lord just laughed.

"And I can use their relationship with the _kuso-hime_ to my advantage." He assured his eldest. "Do not worry, I have it under control." Musashi nodded, understanding what he was doing. It was a brilliant idea, to get the woman comfortable enough to be with one of the turtles in hopes she would get pregnant, and have to train one of the true-blooded stable hands to do her job, then dispatch of her and the half-breed creature she would bear.

Kotaro looked up to see his older brother scowling. To be expected. He saw Shi-Gatsu as less than even the man who cleaned the out houses for the mere fact that she was a _Gaijin_ , even if the man had been a proven rapist. He shook his head, going back to the conversation that Hideyoshi and Shi-Gatsu were having about the area.

"There's a hot spring nearby that we'll stop to rest at." Hideyoshi was saying. "You'll enjoy it; it's supposed to have great medical properties." The woman smiled.

"That sounds wonderful right now." She laughed, rubbing her shoulder. One of the colts had tried to run off that I don't feel bad about using." Kotaro snickered. She had tried for a month to heat her own water for a bath, only to be shooed off by the lady in charge of it every time.

"Haruko is very protective of her 'domain', as she likes to call it." He replied. "If it wasn't for the fact that she knows you want to do it as not to bother her girls, she would be insulted that you didn't trust them to do their job." April blushed.

"I am not done my chores until late, and do not want them to stay up for me." She shrugged. Kotaro just laughed, shaking his head at how odd the little woman she was, trying not to notice how attractive her blushing was.

It was decided to press on into the night to make it to the market before dawn, and were riding through the gates as the sun rose. April had those she had brought with her help her prepare the horses, brushing them until they gleamed in the early morning light. They all were ready by the time the others returned, and after Lord Oroku had left, Shi-Gatsu went off with Hideyoshi and Kotaro to look at the animals for sale.

"Here." The massive mybrid pressed something into her hands "Figured you'd be hungry." She smiled as she unwrapped the stuffed bread, biting into it with a relish.

"Goat meat." She grinned, looking at them. "Shankara used to make this for us when I was with the circus." She frowned slightly. It had been almost a year since she had left. She wondered how Ryo was doing. She missed his companionship in her bed.

Kotaro frowned at the look on her face. He remembered seeing the way a human male had looked at her as she left, almost as if he wanted to take her and run. As he reflected on it, he felt a stir of jealousy. He shook his head. He shouldn't be jealous of the man. Just because he had taken this feisty little horse woman to bed, having her call his name in the throes of pleas-

"Let's go over to this group." Hideyoshi spoke up, interrupting the confusing thoughts. Shi-Gatsu looked over to where he pointed and nodded.

"Looks like there are some nice plow horses." She walked over with him to inspect the horses. Kotaro stayed behind for a bit, clearing his head. He watched her from a distance as she inspected the horses, and made the seller walk and trot the animals while she studied the gait. Her blue eyes were sharp and intense, taking in the entire animal as it moved. She had Hideyoshi walk it around a bit, ready if the animal bolted. He wasn't sure what to make of what he was feeling right now. Perhaps it was just the fact that she was new and attractive that caught his attention, that she hadn't even tried to seduce any of them.

He shook his head, focusing on his brother and Shi-Gatsu. They had finished with that vendor, Hideyoshi going of the bill of sale and handing the man the money owed as two of the stable hands who followed them took the animals back to their area. The rest of the day continued on like that, Shi-Gatsu looking over horses, refusing some, taking others, until they had what they needed.

A couple of hours later, the brothers bought dinner, and they sat together, watching the crowds. Women of the night, from the local brothels, began to come in, going to the various men there to offer their own services. They stayed away from the brothers, with a warning glare from Kotaro.

"Not interested Kotaro-Sama?" Shi-Gatsu teased. He snorted.

"It's a port town; who knows what they've gotten from the sailors that stop by here." She hummed.

"Can't say I blame you there." She agreed. "A few of the ladies back home were shot for giving the men something. Hideyoshi looked over at her.

"By the men?" He asked, green eyes curious. She grinned and laughed in return.

"By the wives of the men." She told him. "After they had gotten to the men, of course."

A brothel lady that must have been old enough to be their grandmother walked by, Shi-Gatsu about to make a comment when a boar and rhinoceros mybrid came up.

"What do we have here?" The boar grunted. "The sons of the great Oroku-Sama hanging out with a Gaijin?"

"Hey now, she's a pretty little thing, even for a Gaijin." The rhino elbowed his companion. "I say we have some fun with her." He reached out, only to have Hideyoshi grab his arm.

"Do not touch her." The normally passive turtle growled, Kotaro looking to his brother in shock. Shi-Gatsu had the good idea to move behind the two mybrids, glaring at the one who tried to take her.

"What?" The boar laughed darkly. "She your woman?" Hideyoshi swallowed thickly.

"And if she is?" He managed to say, eyes not leaving the boar, but his face a vibrant red.

"I'd say you're a liar." The boar snorted. He went to step around the two turtles. "Come on baby, you have better people to be with than these two. Nothing but a clan of murders." Kotaro and Hideyoshi paled as the other two mybrids grinned.

"What does he mean by that?" She turned to them, blue eyes narrow. Hideyoshi sighed, rubbing his head.

"I guess we should tell her." He looked to his older brother. Shi-Gatsu frowned deeper.

"Tell me what?" She asked, voice cautious.

"We are shinobi." Kotaro replied.


End file.
